A New Rhythm
Greetings from Germany! We are hoping to give you a glimpse into what life has been looking like recently on this blog…
Jameson’s daily bike ride from Holzen to BFA. So far the bike has racked up 570 KM.
Jameson has been learning the ropes of teaching at an International School in Germany. He’s been getting to know students better and has been encouraging & challenging them with their art projects in ceramics. The yearbook has been coming along - there are so many great experiences and activities for students, that the yearbook class has been able to capture to use in the book.
Jameson has also been using his photography background with taking student school portraits, class pictures, staff photos, and most recently pictures at a photo-booth at the BFA Christmas Banquet.
BFA in general, is hoping to build more bridges in within the German community. Last week, Jameson met with the Kandern Ceramics Museum Director to talk about an opportunity for BFA students to display their artwork in the local museum, starting this spring. The students will get to share about their artwork during an art gallery opening; what a great opportunity for students and it would be another bridge between the International BFA community and the local German community.
‘Me Box’ Slab Project
A recent project in Ceramics 1, has been for his students to create a slab container with four sides that represent different aspects of their lives. Many of the students chose to represent different parts of the world that they are from or other meaningful or significant parts of their lives.
I have had the privilege of getting to know some sophomore girls in a small group setting , alongside my co-leader, Jana. Our small group girls have backgrounds from Hungary, Italy, Germany, the U.S., France, Russia, the middle East & Africa. Some high-lights from our Tuesday nights together, have been seeing their friendships grow, great discussions, a game night, doing Verse Expolsions (where we dissect Bible Verses in depth as a group), talking about our “High Balls” (high-lights), “Low Balls’ (lows) and ‘Disco Balls”(something surprising- good or bad or anything in between) of the week. Last week we decorated Christmas cookies & Christmas cards. They brought some of the cookies home with them & the rest we delivered to residents in Holzen while we went Christmas caroling.
It was a first for some going Christmas caroling- we stopped at some people’s homes who are home-bound on our route and ended the evening at a neighborhood get-together where they had asked for on encore and we sang Stille Nacht (Silent Night) with some of the local Germans there, which, all the girls said was a great way to end the night.
This fall, I’ve also been supporting the dorm staff and BFA Health Office by making Doctors appointments for students or calling to follow up with Doctors Offices. I’ve had to brush up on some medical words in German, but it has been a joy to combine my nursing background with my background in the German language to help support the staff and students. Some of the dorm staff are not fluent in german and calling to schedule appointments can be difficult or stressful in another country where you don’t yet speak the language.
Joelle & Amber have made some great friends and are enjoying their new school. Kara is adjusting to being in an all-German speaking Kindergarten. She has been learning German songs and short phrases. Nathan is at home with me during the weekdays and is on the waiting list to get into the German Kindergarten. They are all very excited to have Nana and Grandpa visit the end of this month.
Some other highlights:
Taking part in and learning about some local German traditions and also learning about some new International traditions from BFA students and staff from around the world; going to the BFA middle school play; a lantern walk with Kara’s Kindergarten; eating a Thanksgiving meal with one of the BFA dorms; volleyball & basketball games; helping out with a bake sale for Kara’s Kindergarten during a local festival; connecting more in our local church; the International Chapel at BFA; figuring out and settling into a new rhythm of life here.
Our current address:
Am Herrenpfad 6
79400 Kandern
Germany, Europe
How you can be praying for us:
For safe travels for missionary kids over Christmas Break, as they travel around the globe.
For Jameson and my paperwork to be processed quickly with the German License Bureau so that we can take our drivers license theory test…and that we would pass the test to get our German drivers licenses. Being able to drive would be ideal for our family and ministry here. We have until the end of January to take and pass the test before we legally can’t drive here. The test is known to be difficult and we have learning about centrifugal force, how to calculate reaction times & stopping distances based on what speed one is driving, new road signs etc.
For wisdom for Jameson in planning out classwork for students at an International School setting in the first year of teaching here.
We are grateful that our housing for next year is lined up- we had been planning on being at this current home for a year, while the Bryan Family was away and letting us sublease from them. Next year we will be closer to BFA- in the upstairs apartment from where my small group currently meats. Our yard and home will be a great space for our family and for people to gather.
That we would be able to continue to deepen relationships with students
In Galatians 2:8, Paul says “For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles….”
We pray that God would be at work through our ministry here at Black Forest Academy.
Thank you for your prayers!
Year End Giving
If you would like to support our ministry with a year end gift, click the link below. Thank you for helping us to continue serving at Black Forest Academy.
